Auxiliary-engine for steam-driven locomotives



Nov. 20, 1934. R. LANGNER ET AL 1,981,181

AUXILIARY ENGINE FOR STEAM DRIVEN LOCOMOTIVES Filed March 13. 1951 lllml um' I! I II N HHHIIII M g, ATTORNEY.

is usually Patented Nov. 20, 1934 PATENT OFFICE AUXILIARY- ENGINE FOR STEAM-DRIVEN LOCOMOTIVES Rudolf Lang-nor and Ladislav 'Hladik,

Pilsen, Czechoslovakia Application March 13, 1931, Serial No. 522,328 In Czechoslovakia March 29, 193

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an auxiliary engine forsteam locomotives. One of the chief aims in the designing of driving engines for railroad vehicles is to reduce as far as possible the weight of the upsprung parts, in order that the travelling engine itself, as well as the super-structure, shall not sufier more than is necessary on traversing the rail joints. For this reason the driving mechanism of locomotives and motor coaches mounted on the framework of the locomotive or on the car frame, both of which are sprung. The transmission to the driving axles is effected by means of any type of movable gearing, e. g. coupling rods or a movably mounted spur wheel, or the like. Designs have also been put into practice in which the driving engine is built as an independent unit, and is mounted oscillatingly with part of its weight on the upsprung driving axle, the remainder of its weight being carried by the sprung framework or car frame (trolley) of thelocom-otive, so that only a part of the weight of the driving mechanism rests on the axle. The first mentioned type of suspension is usual for locomotives, and particularly for steam locomotives, while the second type is employed mainly 1n the construction of motor coaches and street cars.

In recent times it has proved increasingly necessary to equip steam locomotives with auxiliary engines which areintended to facilitate the negotiation of steep inclines, and also starting under heavy load. In designing for this purpose the above-mentioned known types of construction have hitherto been employed, the arrangement being such that, apart from the main engine there is also mounted on the framework or trolley of the locomotive, usually between the frame cheeks, a second steam engine the driving power of which is transmitted by means of a movable toothed wheel gear to one of the driving shafts. The second type, that is to say the so-called street-car suspension, is also employed in the mounting of auxiliary engines, but both types of construction are open to serious objections.

7 It is obvious that the trolley, or the framework, of the locomotive must be more heavily constructed to carry a second driving engine, so that the total weight of the locomotive, and therefore also the load and stress on the super-structure, increase disproportionately. The greatest difliculty, however, is in the accommodation of the auxiliary engine. The most convenient location for the auxiliary engine is the space between the cheeks of the framework which, however, is

already occupied by the necessary bracing. The result has been in practice that in designs em-. ploying this method. of suspension the engine has been inaccessible, which is a serious disadvantage for the reason that the auxiliary engine 6 is apt to be neglected inLthe matter of tending,

as compared with the:- remaining parts of the locomotive. v i

-The present invention provides a construction for the auxiliary engine of locomotives in which the described drawbacks are obviated by the. provision of the framework of this engine as a closed oil-tight casing which serves at the same time forthe rigidconnection of the two cheeks of the framework of the locomotive, or of the trolley, and thus replaces the previously necessary bracing. The engine thus constructed requires practically no attention, since it is completely encased and is automatically lubricated, the-framework thus constituted being at thesame time both simple and very strong. The total weight is considerably reduced, in consequence of the avoidance of the bracing. At' the same time the cheeks of the framework may partly or entirely take the place of the side walls of the engine casing, thus enabling a further saving in total weight to be effected.

'Ifthe power transmission to the driving axle be effected by means of a toothed wheel gear, which must include movable components in order to permit of the movement of the sprung engine in relationto the axles, it is advantageous to arrange this transmission gear together with the necessary couplings etc.-in a separate oil-tight casing, which is independent of the engine cas-- ing and movable in relation to the latter. This movement can be provided for in that the gear casing is rotatably and-oscillatingly mounted by means of suitable hearings on the driving axle, and is suspended from the framework of the locomotivegor if desired from the casing of the engine,s'o that it is capable of carrying out an 0scillating movement about the axle. The gear casing may comprise a pinion mounted by means of a ball and socket joint upon said axle, and 100 engaging permanently with a gear which is freely mounted upon the non-resiliently mounted axle of the vehicle and may be thrown into and out of engagement with said latter axle by means of a clutch or coupling; In this case it is pos- 105 sible to provide a tight joint, by means of resilient packing, between the movable casing and the fixed casing or the countershaft of the engine, for the purpose of preventing the escape of oil.

In reciprocating steam engines the difiiculty lli) pendently connected with the framework of the locomotive or of the trolley, so that there is a clearance between the casing-of the engine and the cylinders. The casing is then preferably provided with stuffing boxes for the passage of the piston and slide-valve connecting rods' for the purpose of retaining the oil in the casing, and of preventing foreign matter from gaining'access to the interior of the casing. A further advantage of the described arrangement; of the cylinders, apart from those already cited, is the obviation of strains due toheat in the casing of the engine which can otherwise become very considerable with engines driven by super-heated steam, or in the case of internal combustion enines. c i

An example of a form of construction in ac.-

cordance with the presentinvention is shown in.

the accompanying drawing illustrating the .arrangement of a two-cylinderauxiliary locomotive engine. In the drawing Fig. 1 represents a plan elevation, in part section, .of a portion of a locomotive, showing the auxiliary engine.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the sameportion, taken. on the line I.-I of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4. show details of themounting of the crank-shaft and the packing of the'casing of the toothed wheel gearing, respectively.

Fig. 5 shows in a top planview a modification of the construction illustrated ingFig. .1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views tion of the pinion 21. i

The transmission of power is effected from the cylinders 1 through the piston 6 to the crossheads 13, and thence by means of ,the connecting rods 15 to the cranks 16, and further by means of the crankshaft 20, the toothed wheel gearing 21,, the coupling 22, and'the driving axle ,5, ;to the driving wheels 26 of the locomotive.

The crankshaft drive is enclosed in the oiltight casing 3 which is attached to the cheeks 2 of the framework of the locomotive, andat the same time constitutes the bracing for thelatter. Into this oil-tight casing there are built the bearings 17 for the crankshaft 20, the guides 14 for the crossheads 13, and the bearings-19 for;

the eccentric shafts; the moving parts, such as the crossheads 13,'the cranks 16, and the slide-.

valve controlling mechanism 18, move within this casing in an oil bath. 1

' In order that the oil in the crank-case may not be contaminated by the condensation water and the ;oil from the cylinders, the expansion cylinders and the slide-valve chests are separated from this case throughout their entire breadth by the intermediate space 12. The cylinders are cast in a single blockl, and are likewise attached tothe cheeks 2 of the framework of the locomotive, thus further contributing to the bracing of this framework. Both the piston rods 6 and the slide valve rods 9 pass into the casing 3 through the stuffing-boxes 8 and 11.

Parts of the vertical walls 30 of the ,crankcase are cast in one with the covers of the crankshaft bearings 17, so that these par-ts .are simul- .of the connec-.

taneously removed when the bearingcovers are removed, which permits of the convenient opening of the case. The case itself, together with the cheeks 2 of theframework, constitutes a closed well provided with an oiltight cover 27.

The oil-tight casing 4 in whichthe spur wheel gearing 21, the couplings 22 with the gear changmg device 23, and a portion of the driving shaft 5 are enclosed is movable in relation to the abovedescribed casing 3. The casing 4 is made in two 1 workof the locomotive.

The driving axle 5 runs in the bearings 24 which are connected with the framework 2 by means of the springs 25. When these springs are depressed the axle 5 and with it also the case 4 moves in relation to the framework 2. The crankshaft 20 passes'through the openings in the case 4; in order to'prevent theescapeofoil at these points it is advisable to provide a movable packing 32 which is preferably rigidly connectedto the bearings 17-, as shown in Fig. 4, since in this manner a'reliably tight joint can be obtained. I-claim: 1 r I v 1. In a locomotive comprisinga frame, Wheel axles, wheels-on said axles, resilient -meansfor supporting said frame on saidwheels, and amain steam engine supported by the said frame for propelling the locomotive, the combination of an auxiliary steam engine with frames which are disposed between and rigidly connected.- to the said first frameto form bracings therefor, one of said frames being constructed to form acasing enclosing the moving parts of the said auxiliary engine.

2. In a locomotive comprising a frame, wheel axles," wheels on said axles, resilient-meansfor supporting said frame on said wheels, and a main steam engine supported by the said; frame for "propelling" the locomotive, the combina tion of an'auxiliary steam engine with frames which are disposed between and rigidly'conneoted to'the said first frame to'f'orm bracings therefor, one of said frames being constructed to form a'casing enclosing -=the;moving parts of the said aux-iliary enginaanda tooth wheel transmission driven bythe said-auxiliary engine and connect ed'to one of said axles to actuatethe same.

' 3; The combination as claimed in claim 2', which includes a chamber enclosing the-said tooth'wheel' transmission;-said chamber being supported by the' axle actuated by said said-resilient'frame. r

'4; In' the combination of with the framework of a steam-driven locomotive, frames for 'said engine attached to the framework of the locomotive, and adapted to form with their entire structural strength bracings for the said framework, one of "said frames-being furthermore' constructed to constitute aclo'sed oiltight casing for the moving parts of the said auxiliary engine, the side walls of the said casing beingpartly formed by'the side cheeks'of the said I framework, and a second independent oil-tight" casing for the transmission gear of the said en gine, the said second casing being movably connected with the said framework.

I 5. The combination defin'edin claim'4, and in which said second casing. is mounted on the unsprung driving axle of the locomotive.

6. Anarrangement as claimed in claimll, in v tooth wheels and the an auxiliary engine its said auxiliary engine constituting a bracing for the locomotive framework, the side checks of said framework forming part of said casing, a second independent oil-tight casing for the transmission gear of said engine, and an enclosure for said cylinders and slide valves forming part of said bracing and spaced from the moving parts of the engine. I

RUDOLF LANGNER.

LAD. HLADIK. 

